The World Has Its Shine
by xx Terpsichore xx
Summary: used to be "All again for you". All Human. Bella is married, and she looks back on how she fell in love and her life. better than it sounds, i suck at summaries. full summary inside. please review, good and bad. normal pairings. try it, please.
1. Prologue

**Summary: Bella and Edward have been married for twenty years when Bella starts to feel like something in her life is missing, and she misses the way it used to be when she was younger. she along with edward and her friends look back to what it used to be, when they were young and falling in love. **

**AN: Every one is human. Bella and Edward are married, and have 3 children. **

* * *

Prologue: BPOV

I heard the door open. "Mom!" Backpacks were dumped on the floor and the door was slammed shut. "Mom, I need your help!"

I put down the mound of papers I was grading and made my way up to my eldest's room. Elizabeth Marie was sixteen and just starting to date. I leant against the doorframe as she hurtled clothing around.

"Mother, I have _NOTHING _to wear!" This was the loudest shout yet, and it reverberated against the walls, spreading through the house, getting the attention of her younger sister, Renee Esme. Renee was born two years after her older sister, along with her twin brother, Charles Anthony.

"Will you keep it down? Some of us are _trying _to do homework!"

"I'm sorry that you have no life, but I have to find an outfit for my date!"

"Your date is next week!"

_This can't end well, Bella_, I thought to myself as I watched the scene unfold. I have to cut in before it gets out of hand.

"Okay, girls, both of you, stop." I rubbed my temple. "Liz, just buy yourself a new outfit."

Elizabeth shrieked and threw her arms around me. She lunged for her cell phone and proceeded to throw us out of her room.

Figuring that the rest of my family would be home soon, I went into the kitchen to make dinner. Once dinner was cooking, and the house quite, I sat down with my rather large stack of papers I had to grade.

Before I had one paper complete, my husband and son came barreling through the front door. They were smiling, making it obvious that Charlie had won his game. Charlie ran by without any form of acknowledgement of me, and raced up the stairs to share the good news with his sister. I shouted at his retreating back, but he didn't even turn around.

"Hello, Love." Edward wrapped his arms around my waist as I did the same around his neck. "Long day?" He smiled that perfect crooked smile that I loved so much. Even after twenty years he still managed to take my breath away.

I sighed. "You have no idea," I spoke into his chest, muffling the sound of my voice. I felt so at ease there, and I could have held onto him for hours.

Dinner was always done in the same way, with setting the table working like an assembly line, until we were all sitting around talking loudly about our days. Sometimes I would catch one of my kids feeding food to the new puppy, as he hovered around the table waiting for someone to drop a morsel of their dinner.

Occasionally I would take a peek at Edward's bright green eyes and suddenly there were no more kids. It is as if it was only us again, and for those few seconds, we were young. But then those few precious seconds passed and we remember our kids and how time has changed so much of our lives.

But time never stops, and the minutes turned into days, and days turned to weeks and everything went on in a similar fashion. There is an unspoken routine that my family follows. We wake up, go to work or school, come home, eat dinner, go to sleep, and repeat our actions the following day. Some days included me chasing kids and friends of kids out of our house, and watching Edward pace in and out of the living room while waiting for Liz to co me home from a date. Many of our weekends involved our family. My children's cousins are their best friends, and their parents are Edward's and mine.

This weekend was no different from any other. Our family was together and the kids were playing as the adults congregated in the living room. Again, it was another unspoken routine.

I looked at my friends and family, it was really all one in the same. They were all the same to me. I leaned back onto the couch and into Edward's arms. Off in the background I could swear I heard a crash, but decided against thinking about that.

"What are you thinking about, Bella?" I looked up at Rosalie, who even older was still the most beautiful person I had ever seen. She was perched gracefully on the armchair her husband was sitting on.

"It's nothing. It's stupid, really." I knew my friends wouldn't buy it.

Alice got off of Jasper's lap and bounced over to us. "Now we know it's not nothing, and coming from you it can't be stupid."

I reverted my eyes to our ceiling and started examining one of the lights. I realized that nobody was going to let this go, so I tore my eyes away and looked at Alice, who was now sitting next to me on the couch.

"Its just… I was just…" I was trying to explain it so it made sense, but the truth is, I don't quite understand what I am thinking myself. "I was just thinking how different everything is, or the same, Oh, I don't know." Edward tightened his grip around me. "Yesterday I woke up and realized how much our lives have really changed. How everything is the same day to day, and how nothing changes. Twenty years ago everything was spontaneous and fun, I miss it. I must sound crazy."

"Oh, Bella." Rose was also at my side by this time. "I know exactly how you feel, I'm sure we all do."

I was looking at my hands now, studying some of the differences that only come with time. I took my attention away from them and centered it on everyone. They nodded in agreement.

I started to think about my life twenty years ago, I'm sure everyone else was too…


	2. Chapter 1

**AN: Again, everyone is human. Jake is a DOG. A real sized, DOG. Not a werewolf, but a real DOG. **

20 Years Ago...

Chapter I

BPOV

"Oh crap," I muttered to myself, "a cat."

Within a second, I felt myself being dragged forward, and I heard a bark as he went flying away from me.

"Wait. Stop. Comeback!" I yelled, but nothing seemed to work. I tried to run after him, but my body wouldn't let me, and I slipped in a puddle and landed on my back. I lay there, in the poring rain, at night, in the middle of god-knows-where of Central Park.

_Wonderful. Completely wonderful, Bella_, I heard in my head. _You'll never find him_. But, almost as if by magic, I felt something fly over me and land directly on my chest. He was a dripping wet ball of fur, and I could tell he was happy to see me, because he was licking my face profusely.

"Jake, oh you're okay!" He barked and opened his mouth, letting his tongue hang. I swear he could have been smiling. We got up and I continued to walk him home. Okay, so he kind of walked me, he was so strong.

I had found Jake in an alley behind my apartment near the garbage dumpster. At first I thought he was a reddish-brown fur coat someone had thrown out, that was, until he launched himself at me. Not in a bad way, of course, he was so loveable. I took him in, cleaned him up, and kept him with me ever since. I was lucky my place allowed dogs.

My name is Isabella Swan, but I hate Isabella, so I just go by Bella. I'm twenty-two and unfortunately still a student. I had to pay my way through college, so it's taking longer then it should. I'm an English major, but I still have no idea what it is that I want to do with my life.

I made my way into my building and up to my apartment. The lights were off, and nobody seemed to be home. I shared an apartment with my best friend Rosalie Hale. We have known each other since the start of college, but Rose is a year older. Up until very recently we had also lived with our other best friend, Alice Brandon (a/n- I hope that is her last name, I couldn't remember), but she moved in with her boyfriend Jasper Hale, Rose's brother.

I took of Jake's leash and he ran to the couch. I shook of my wet coat, grabbed a drink and joined him to watch some mind-numbing television. He was still dripping, but I was too exhausted to care. Using him as a pillow, I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

XxxxX

I was startled awake by the dog a few hours later. I opened my eyes a crack to see Rosalie sneaking in through the door as Jake greeted her. She was soaked, and wearing the shortest black skirt I think I have ever seen, a sheer pink shirt that showed her black bra underneath. She was holding her shoes and jacket in hand, her blond hair was a mess down her back, and her makeup smeared across her face. Even like that she was the most beautiful person I have ever seen in my life.

"Oh, hey Bells, sorry to wake you", she said as she looked over at me.

I grunted my response. "What time is it?"

"Four thirty", she laughed.

Looking at her I could only guess where she had been. "He not good, Rose?" I asked jokingly.

She made a face and marched off into her room and I could hear the shower within minutes. Rosalie could have any guy she wanted, men worshiped her at her feet, yet she still went for the one-night stand. I could never get anybody. I smiled as Jake came over to lick my face. At least I had him. Getting off the couch, I made my way to my room and went back to sleep.

* * *

EPOV

_Just a few more minutes, then I can run for my life_. I kept repeating this little mantra to myself over and over again, as if it could somehow make this form of torture a little more bearable.

I flashed the fakest smile I could manage to the overly excited blond that was currently hanging off my left arm. I turned around to my boss to give him the same smile, adding more of a pained look to it. He caught my desperate and silent plea, and nodded his head giving me the signal to run.

As much as I loved doing my job, I hated the extra little 'punishments' that came along with it. I, Edward Cullen, was a music producer, and one of the best there was. I'm not bragging, I seriously am. By twenty-two I was already at the top of the industry, with some of the best clients out there. I much preferred the behind the scenes aspect of my job, and I hated being in public. The studio owner, and my boss, only required me to be seen in public a few times a week, more then enough for me.

I said goodbye to Julia, or was it Jessica, and made my way out of the club and into the dark streets of New York. Although it was raining, I decided to walk instead of taking a cab, giving me some time to clear my head. I took a detour through the park, and came out by the MET. I was close to my apartment now, so I picked up my pace and finally ran into the now deserted lobby.

My apartment was dark as I walked in. Just as I was fumbling around for the lights, my brother's door opened and from it ran one of his many one-night-stands. She flew past me, and from what I could see she was blond, and very pretty.

It was already four and there was no point in me staying up any later. In a few hours I would have to be at work again. I treaded lightly across our living room, careful not to step on an article of clothing, or a wire from the Xbox. When I was safely in my room, I kicked off my shoes and threw myself down onto my bed. I didn't even bother undressing.

XxxxX

I stumbled out of bed when my alarm went off. I found my brother already awake and in the kitchen when I got there. He was sitting at the table, eating cereal out of the box.

"That's disgusting, Emmet. You couldn't have put it into a bowl?" I made a mental not to never eat our cereal again.

Emmet grinned and stuck his hand back into the box. "Nope. I like it better this way." Not satisfied, he took a swig of milk directly from the carton. "Hey Ed, I have to tell you about this girl I met last night. She was-,"

"Please, don't finish that thought." I cut him off, trying not to imagine what he was going to say. I ran my hands through my untidy bronze colored hair, and I turned my bright green eyes away from him. Coming from Emmet, I knew that this was going to lead to way too much information that I did not need to know this early in the morning.

Emmet's laugh was thunderous. "Just because I have a sex life and you don't, doesn't mean I shouldn't not be able to tell my brother."

I grumbled something unintelligent and left before it could get any worse. I could still hear Emmet's laughter as I retreated back into my room to get ready for work. I could already tell that this was going to be another wonderful day.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

BPOV

It was quite when I woke up the next day, so I relished in that fact by lying under my covers for a few more minutes. The smell of coffee that Rose was most likely making coaxed me out of bed. If it wasn't for that and the fact that I had classes today, I could have laid there all morning.

Before I could leave my room, I stopped in front of the mirror that was hanging on the back of my door. I took in my appearance, hoping to see some sort of change in me. Unfortunately there was none. My hair was brown and reached past my shoulders, my skin was pale, and my eyes were boring and brown. I wasn't much to look at. Sighing, I left my room before I could think about it anymore.

Rose was reading a magazine and drinking her coffee as I found my way into our little kitchen. Jake was lying on the floor with his head resting on his food dish, just waiting for someone to feed him. Seeing as Rosalie could barely make toast, I took it upon myself to make something that was edible.

"So Rose," I said after we started eating, "it seems that somebody had an exciting night. You never did tell me about that guy." She looked like she could murder me. I threw my hands up in the air, palms facing her in mock surrender. "What, I wasn't the one who came home at four thirty."

This time she laughed. "No, he wasn't _bad_, he was actually pretty good, one of the best maybe."

"But…" Now I was confused.

"But, you know me. I just didn't feel like staying. I did get his name this time, maybe I'll see him again."

"Now there's and accomplishment, you actually knew his name." She flicked some eggs at me but laughed.

The whole day passed by in a blur of events. With fewer classes at school, I got less work and I had the afternoon to do nothing. I cleaned our apartment spotless, since no one else does. I was finished by lunch and Rose wasn't here because she had a lunch date with the guy she had sneaked away from this morning. I was amazed that she actually has another date with this guy, it was rare for her.

Jake had been following me around all day, and I figured that it was probably time to walk him. Overly excited he dragged me around city, not caring where we ended up. The more he pulled on me, the more I tripped and fell. Smiling that goofy dog smile of his, he kept on going. We were taking a break by the steps of the MET, as something caught his eye. Without warning, again, he launched himself forward and got away from me. _This is getting old_. Pathetically I chased him down the block, and around a corner when I ran straight into some guy, knocking him down.

I looked down into the most gorgeous green eyes, and at the face of a god. I managed to stutter out, "I… I… Sorry… I… Oops." His eyes seemed to dance with amusement at my lack of words and he was smiling this breathtaking crooked smile.

He helped me up and ran a hand through is bronze colored hair. "I believe that this belongs to you." His voice took me by surprise, it was like velvet. It took me a moment to register that in one hand was Jake's leash, with a very sour looking Jake. He looked disappointed that he had gotten caught.

I managed to get out a "Thanks" before running away.

XxxxX

Alice came over later that night. We decided on staying in and having a movie night. Honestly I really wasn't in the mood to play dress up and act as their oversized doll. Alice and Rose always tried to get me to wear nice clothing and do my hair and makeup. Alice always had to be made up perfectly, her short black hair styled, and her small pixie-like body dressed in designer clothing.

The three of us had certain movie night customs. Dinner was always from the Chinese food place on the corner of our block, and it had to be eaten on the couch. Most importantly boys were prohibited, except for of course Ben and Jerry. They were a requirement.

My least favorite part of our movie nights was the gossiping. Especially the gossiping about guys, I didn't have much to contribute to those conversations.

"Alice, how's Jasper?" Rose asked Alice.

"Wonderful, amazing, perfect!" She was bouncing from excitement as she sang in her high-pitched soprano voice. "I've never been connected to a person the way I'm connected to him. It's the most unbelievable feeling; I don't think I could explain it. I really and truly do love him." Her little soprano voice was full of excitement, and she drifted of towards the end, eyes leaving us completely. She stayed like that in her own world for a while before coming back to us.

I couldn't relate to her. I've never felt like that. I've had boyfriends and dates in high school, sure, but I've never been in love. I've never been able to experience that kind of head over heels, deeply mind boggling love that my friend was now in.

"What about you Bella, meet anybody since I've been gone?" Ha, she already knew that answer, and I didn't get why she had to ask.

Maybe I should tease her a little. "Actually I did. Today, in fact." I was still thinking about that guy I had almost run over. For some reason I couldn't get his green eyes and crooked smile out of my head.

Alice squealed, Rosalie looked a little shocked. I continued, "Yea, I ran him over today while I was walking Jake, he caught him for me. I didn't really talk to him, I ran away before I could even get a really good look at him." Lie.

They were confused now. "What do you mean you ran him over?"

"Literally that. I ran into him and knocked him down while I was walking Jake."

There was a pause before they erupted in laughter, clutching their sides and each other for support. Soon enough I was laughing with them. I really appreciated how they found my clumsiness so entertaining.

"What about you Rose, any real boyfriends? Or would you rather share about your most recent 'toys'?" She stopped laughing. "Alice, get this, last night she actually knew his name!" Alice and I continued laughing, Rose was pouting now.

Alice started hiccupping, and was trying to talk through it. "So-hiccup- wha- hiccup-t was h-hiccup-is name?"

"I'm not going to tell you."

"Aw, come one, Rose!"

"Nope"

Being the mature adult that I am, I stuck my tongue out at her and crossed my arms across my chest trying not to laugh, but I was failing miserably. Alice and I doubled over on top of each other and Rosalie was starting to cave.

"Alright, alright! I'll tell you. His name is Emmet. Emmet Cullen." We continued to probe her in all the finer points of this Emmet Cullen.

I was still upset and slightly uncomfortable while talking about Rosalie and Alice's relationships, but I didn't let them see that. I never would, I didn't need their sympathy. I've learned to accept the fact that I may never find love.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

* * *

EPOV

Well, I was right. I was having a wonderful day. After my lovely talk with Emmet, I went to get dressed and remembered that I had not done a wash, so I was left with very little clothing to wear. This resulted in me being late for work, upsetting my boss. I completely forgot about a huge meeting we had today, and I almost lost a very valued client. All in all, a wonderful day.

Lunch came way to slowly. I passed on an offer to eat with some of my co-workers, and decided to go home. Emmet would be gone, he had a lunch date, it was very un-Emmet like.

Walking home, I was coming close to my apartment, around the corner from the MET. I barley noticed when some big furry thing ran past me. It took me a minute to realize that it was a dog, and it was dragging a leash along with it. It stopped to bark at a pile of garbage on the sidewalk. Slowly I approached him and grabbed his leash, not long before I was knocked down to the ground by some force.

Looking up, I stared straight into the most beautiful brown eyes of a rather embarrassed girl. She started to stutter out an apology, and I realized that she was probably chasing this dog. It amused me how this was the best part of my day so far.

I smiled at her, and her face turned an even cuter shade of red. Helping her up, I ran my hand through my hair, trying to think of something to say. _Right, the dog_.

"I believe that this belongs to you." She took the dog and ran away before I could even talk to her. Something about this girl intrigued me. I didn't know why, but I wanted to know more, I wanted to be able to look into those big brown doe eyes again. I wanted to ask her a million questions; I wanted to know her name.

For the rest of the day, all I could think about was that girl. If someone talked to me, I answered, but I was gone otherwise.

XxxxX

My only escape that day was when I got home after work. It was quite, and that in itself was a blessing. I sat down at my piano, and let my fingers move across it. I played without thinking, and it was a good release for me. To be able to have a few moments where the world just stopped moving, where time seemed to stand still. It was like reading a good book; you could just lose yourself in the music.

I played for what seemed like hours. At nine, like clockwork, my phone started to ring. I didn't even have to look at the caller id to know who it was. Some girl who my boss gave my number to, trying to get me out of my apartment.

I didn't need it today, and I turned my phone off, still sitting in front of my piano, but not playing. That's when Emmet came in.

"Where were you?" I asked him.

"Calm down, mom, I was at work."

"Until now?"

"Yes, until now." Emmet was personal trainer, a very sought after personal trainer. It was scary to work out with him, and I tried to go to the gym when ever he wasn't there.

He didn't stay home for long, and when out shortly after. He tried really hard to get me out, but I wasn't giving in. I had some kind of label party to go to tomorrow, and he was coming. I didn't invite him, my boss did and I couldn't say no. Emmet wasn't my favorite person to go to a party with, with the added fact that I hated parties was sure to make it unbearable.

Emmet doesn't understand why I hate it so much, why I don't want girls that throw themselves at me. Truth is, I'm to old fashioned. I wanted that true love. That love that you cant find in a club, or at a party. I want a connection, something _real_. Emmet says I sound like a girl.

I shook my head as if to clear it of all the thoughts racing around in there. I let myself get lost in the music of piano once again.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: BPOV

Chapter 3: BPOV

"No."

"Come on Bell," Rosalie pleaded.

"No."

"But it'll be fun," Alice urged.

"No."

I was happily reading on the couch, when Rose and Alice had come in, arms full of shopping bags. They were smiling, and not pleasant smiles, but smiles that gave you the impression that they were up to something. They started with a "So Bella…" and I knew that it wasn't going to be good.

"Do you ever go out?"

"Yes."

"When?"

I had to think about that. I really haven't been out to a party or a club in a while. "Um, I don't remember."

"See," Alice was bouncing at my side, begging now. "you should really get out more"

"Yea, plus Emmet invited us, so you'll get to meet him."

"No."

"There will be lots of cute guys." That, I had to admit, did sound appealing, but I wasn't giving in that easily.

"No."

Exasperated, Rose shouted. "Fine, don't go. See if I care." She turned her back to me, picked up a magazine, and started reading.

"Please, Please, Please Bell." Alice gave me a puppy dog look that no person with a heart could have resisted.

I caved. "Fine, I'll go."

Rosalie threw her magazine down and sat on my lap with her arms around my neck the same time Alice did. They were both squealing and kissing my cheeks. I managed to wriggle free of them.

"I will only go on one condition."

In unison they asked, "What?"

"Either of you will NOT try to set me up with any guy." I shuttered at the memory of the last guy their tried to force on me.

"Okay, but this means that we get to go shopping!" Alice gave me no time to argue before pulling me off the couch, and out the door.

She dragged me down the streets with much more force then someone her size should have. I don't know what store we ended up in, and Alice didn't seem to care either. She was on a mission to find me something to wear, and she gave no sign of giving up. I, of course, wasn't allowed any opinion and I followed her around obediently with my arms held for when she threw a dress on to them. I was starting to feel like Jake, a trained dog. When she felt that I had enough, she shoved me into a dressing room.

I was standing in front of a big mirror in a strapless, tight, sparkling silver dress. "Alice, I look like a disco ball."

"No, it looks cute, just look at your butt."

I turned my head around to look at my backside. "I can see my reflection in my ass. There is no way I'm wearing this."

The next dress was so tight I could barely breath, and the one after that was so brightly yellow that I couldn't look at the mirror, it was blinding me. I could sense that Alice was getting impatient, when I stepped out of the dressing room in the last dress. It was simple. Midnight blue and high-wasted, low cut with a halter-top. It wasn't tight enough to suffocate me, but it was form fitting in a flattering way. I liked it, until I looked at the price tag.

"This dress costs more then I spend for food in a month!"

"I know, but look how pretty you look."

I looked at myself in the mirror once more. There was definitely something different, but I couldn't place it. Something to do with how the color made my skin look, or how the dress hugged my curves and accentuated them. I let her talk me into buying it.

XxxxX

It wasn't long before I was home, showered, and sitting in my favorite pair of sweats. I was in my room working on an assignment for class, Jake sitting at my feet. We still had a few hours before we had to go. I didn't really need to work on this paper, but I was using it as an excuse to hide from Rose and Alice.

My peace was interrupted when they both came in. In her hands, Rose was holding the dreaded curling iron, menacingly swinging it back and forth. Alice had the makeup bag. Jumping of my bead I started to back off, trying to find some way to escape, but all I did was successfully back myself into a corner.

It took them two and a half hours to do my hair and makeup, and another ten minutes to convince them that there was no way I was going to wear heels, deciding on a nice safe pair of silver flats. I didn't look in the mirror before we left, out of fear that I would hate what I saw and change my mind.

XxxxX

Jasper was coming too, and he was waiting for us outside of the club along with who I assumed to be Emmet. Alice and Rosalie approached them both, planting a kiss on their cheeks. I felt uncomfortable standing there. Like I didn't fit in, when in truth I didn't. Although Rose hasn't known Emmet that long, I could see it in their eyes that this would be serious. I had never seen her like this with anyone before, and it broke my heart just a little bit more.

Emmet seemed like a nice guy. His size shocked me. He was almost bear-like. Greeting me, he pulled me into a bone-crushing hug, lifting me off the ground. He was loud too, laughing and shouting at everybody.

He led us inside, and tried to find his brother, whose party this actually was. I stared off across the dance floor, staying as close to Rose and Alice's sides as possible. The club wasn't that big, but had bright flashing lights everywhere. On one side was a raised bar and seating, and on the other a dance floor. I grabbed a drink off a tray from a passing waiter. I don't usually drink, but out of nervousness I downed it.

The four of us sat down while we waited for Emmet. Jasper leaned in close to talk to me, trying hard to talk over the music.

"Bella, are you okay? You look uncomfortable."

Jasper seemed to be oddly in-tune with people's emotions, so I wasn't shocked when he said this. "Yea, this really isn't my kind of thing."

"Then why are you here?"

I glanced sideways at Alice and Rose, and he chuckled, understanding where I was coming from before Alice took him out to the dance floor. I sat, talking to Rose. At some point in our conversation she looked up to point out Emmet and his brother he was talking too. I looked too, and instantly recognized his brother's face. His untidy bronze hair shined in the lights, and his pale skin looked radiant. The expression on his face was probably what mine looked like. He seemed to not be happy to be here.

I didn't notice that I was gawking at him, with my mouth open, until Rosalie snapped her fingers in my face. I saw that Emmet had pointed us out, and Edward was staring at me, with that cooked smile now plastered on his face.

I dived out of sight behind Rose. "Bella, What the hell are you doing?"

"Shush, I'm hiding."

She was getting frustrated and I could tell. "What are you hiding from?"

"That guy Emmet is talking too."

"His brother, Edward?"

Oh no. "Rose, that's the guy I ran over!"

"Huh?" She looked confused, until everything clicked into place. "Oh, oh my god, _that_ is the guy you knocked down? What are you doing, go talk to him!"

"No. Are you kidding me! I totally made a fool of myself."

"Well, you're going to have to talk to him, because they are coming over here now."

"What!" I stood up so fast that I didn't realize someone was behind me. I slammed into Emmet, pushing him into Rose, who knocked a glass down on the table. I tried to get away again, tripping and falling only to have Edward catch me. My face turned about ten shades of red before I ran away to hide by the bar. I could still hear Rose cursing about the spilt drink that ended up on her lap.

I sat down at a stool and leant my elbows up on the bar, putting my head in my hands. _Oh no, oh no, oh no. Idiot! What were you thinking! _I was completely mortified.

I felt a sudden warm breath up against my neck, and a velvety "hello" in my ear. Startled, I spun around only to be face to face with Edward, holding out his hand. "I don't think I got your name last time."

It was a few seconds before any logical thought could come to my head. He dazzled me, leaving me completely oblivious to everything. I took his hand and breathed out "Bella."

"It's nice to meet you standing up Bella, I'm Edward."

Still unable to speak, I nodded my head. I couldn't take my eyes of his face, examine every small detail, and how he was so perfect he seemed almost inhuman.

"Bella, can you do me a favor?" He was laughing, but I could see it in his eyes that he was desperate. I nodded my head again. "Pretend to be my girl friend."

He caught me off guard with such a random question, but I agreed all the same, nodding my head again like an idiot. It was like it was the only movement my body was capable of doing now. He slinked an arm around my waist and cringed when he heard his name being called.

"Edward", some sluty blond girl called, smiling hugely before noticing me.

He hesitated before answering her, and he was polite in his answer. "Jessica, nice to see you again. Meet my girlfriend, Bella."

I smiled and held out my hand. She looked at it, but didn't make any move to take it. Pouting, she turned on her heel and stormed off. Beside me Edward breathed out a sigh of relief, but didn't remove his arm from my waist. Somehow it felt right; he could keep it there for all I cared. He touched my hand and it felt like it was on fire, leading me over to a table where we could talk without interruptions.

Somehow, I don't think this night will be as bad as I imagined.

**AN: Next chapter will be all Edwards POV. **


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: EPOV

**AN: So I've been forgetting to add a disclaimer, but I don't own any of the characters. The song in the chapter is "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You" by Rod Stewart. **

**AN: I edited a part in the last chapter of when they first met at the bar. Just one line. **

Chapter 4: EPOV

Today was Sunday, and I should be happy about that. Sunday meant I didn't have to work, but this particular Sunday came with a certain label party that I did not want to attend. I sulked the entire morning, wandering around my apartment aimlessly searching for something to do. I took no interest in playing Emmet's video games and there was nothing but children's cartoons on the television.

It was around eleven when Emmet came running out of his room, singing into an old hairbrush.

_"Have I told you lately that I love you  
Have I told you theres no one else above you"_

He was spining around our living room, jumping up and down on our couch. He crouched down on one knee next to me and held my hand while I rolled my eyes at his stupidity.

_"Fill my heart with gladness  
Take away all my sadness  
Ease my troubles thats what you do"_

He was seriously off key and it hurt my ears to listen to him. I got up from the couch to get away from him, but he followed me anway, hand on his heart still belting out the lyrics. I was sure that this was a reslut of the girl he had just recently seen. This was strange because although he was trying to be goofy, he seemed pretty serious about the girl (whose name was still a mystery to me).

"Emmet," I warned him, "Emmet stop."

He kept on singing, "_For the morning sun in all its glory; Greets the day with hope and comfort too._"

"Emmet, I'm serious." He didn't seem to pick up on the irritation in my voice.

_"You fill my life with laughter; And somehow you make it better; Ease my troubles thats what you do"_ He jumped up onto the table and starting yelling out the rest of the song.

I had enough. "EMMET! SHUT UP" I was screaming as I threw a plate at him.

"_Theres a love thats divine; And its yours and its min-_, Ouch! What the hell, man!" There was a bang as it colided with his head.

"Idiot, what are you _doing_?"

"Edward, dude, I think I'm in love."

I rolled my eyes at the ridiculesness of this. "You've only known her for bearly two days. There is no way you could love her allready."

"Lighten up, you're too bitter. When was the last time you got laid, Eddie boy." He ducked out of the way just in time as a second plate came flying twoards his head.

"Its _Edward_," I growled, "and that's private."

"Wow, that long." Plate three came crashing into the wall behind him. "Tonight's the party, just go for it. I invited Rosalie," I'm guessing that is the name of the blond that ran out of here the other night, "and she's bring her friend who I hear is single." He elbowed me in the side, winking.

"Thanks Emmet, but I don't really need dating advice from you." I didn't want to hear it either, it was getting a little to personal for my liking. Before I could react, he had me in a headlock. I struggeld to get free but he was too strong. Planting a sloppy kiss on my check, he ran out the door shouting, "Bye bro," as he retreated down the halway laughing his head off.

I wiped my cheek off muttering an "asshole" to no one in particular.

XxxxX

I had been trying for a while to record some of my own compositions. The stuidios would be virtually empty today, and I figured that I might as well get some done. I grabbed my music and stuffed it into a messenger bag and headed out.

Once I was safely in the confines of the soundproof room, I started to warm up. Letting my fingers glide effortlesly across the keys helped me calm down, I hadn't realized how nervous and jumpy I was. I don't know how long I sat there, it could have been minutes of hours. Either way it felt good to be free of interuptions, and finially alone. Although I was always surrouned by people, in a way I was alone because I did not care for any of the people that I asociated with daily.

I recored everything I had, and I played until my fingers were numb. As I played everything back, I didn't notice that someone was staning behind me.

"Its good." My boss, Garrett, said as he made his presence known. "Buts something's missing."

Garrett was a good guy, I trusted him, and I apreciated what he has done for me and my career. I listened to the recording again, but I didn't get what he was talking about. "What do you mean something's missing?"

He chuckled. "When you find it, you'll know." With that he left leaving me more confused.

Emmet came home around nine thirty anouncing that if I didn't get my ass to that party soon, he would carry me there. Out of fear I ran out the door before he could catch me. While Emmet may be strong, I was defeintely faster.

The place I was heading to was far from my apartment, somewhere in the Village. Too far to walk, I took a cab but getting out a few blocks early to clear my head. I saw the club up ahead, ran my hand through my hair, took a deap breath, and went in.

I sat as far away from the dance floor as possible, made sure that I couldn't be seen by any one of bimbos that usually followed me around. Ordering a drink, I put on an unhappy front and waited for Emmet to come. All Garrett told me was that I had to show up; he said nothing about trying to have a good time.

Sure enough Emmet came, leading three girls and some guy. I saw him before he could see me, but I stayed where I was. The longer I could avoid him the better.

It didn't last that long.

"Edward, come one. There is some girl here you should meet."

"I'm fine where I am." I took another drink. I decided on getting as drunk as I could tonight. That was my new plan.

"Just look at her, she's hot." He pointed to some blond girl sitting next to someone I remembered immediately. All the way from where I was sitting I could see her beautiful face. Her mouth in an oblivious state, and that made me smile. Before I could so much as wave, she lunged herself behind who Emmet said to be Rose.

We made our way over to them, where they were frantically whispering. Rosalie must have said something to shock the girl, because she stood up way to fast and fell into Emmet. She tried to run way, but tripped and fell into my arms. My god, she was an angel. Her skin was soft, and I tried to hold onto her, but she ran away.

Too many things raced through my head, different scenarios of what I should do. Should I go comfort her, or keep my space? I could see her at the bar, head in her hands. I felt a pang in my chest and a swell of emotions rise up inside of me. Concern, a need to protect her, and something else I couldn't quite place. They were new and very odd. As if by some force of gravity, I was pulled towards her. Leaning in close enough to whisper into her ear.

"Hello, I don't think I got your name last time."

I think I scared her because she spun around. I held out my hand for her to shake. Up close her face was stunning. Her eyes seemed to sparkle like diamonds, and I wanted more than anything to run my fingers across the curves of her lips. She looked a little stunned, and her face was turning many shades of pink.

"Bella." She took my hand.

"It's nice to meet you standing up Bella, I'm Edward." She blushed even more. For the second time I resisted the urge to touch her face.

Over her shoulder I noticed the blond girl from the other night coming over to us. Trying to sound light but secretly desperate I asked her, "Bella, can you do me a favor?" more nodding, "Pretend to be my girl friend?"

For a second I wondered if she had heard me, but she agreed to do it. That's when I heard my name being called out. I cringed as I held onto Bella, arm around her waist. I wanted it to look real, but it felt amazing being in contact with her like this.

_What was her name again? Julia, Jennifer? Wait no, Jessica. Yea it was Jessica._ I was irritated, but I tried to be polite to her. "Jessica, nice to see you again. Meet my girlfriend, Bella."

I sighed, relived when Jessica stormed off. I kept my arm on her a few seconds longer then I should have. Taking Bella's delicate hand, we went to sit at a table where nobody would interrupt us.

I think I am going to like this party.  
_  
_


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

BPOV

When I opened my eyes the next morning, three things immediately came to mind.

First that I had the worst possible headache I have ever had. It felt like someone was ripping my head open with a pair of rusty pliers. Damn alcohol, why did I drink so much?

Second, I was lying on a couch that was not mine, in an apartment that I did not recognize.

And lastly, someone had their arms wrapped around my waist. Arms that felt immensely pleasant there.

Then I realized that I didn't usually fall asleep with arms around me… so I did the only thing that came to mind. I screamed and jumped.

"AHHHHHHH! Oh My God!" That didn't help my hangover at all. I checked over my clothed body. Thank God. I had all my clothing on.

I heard a bang as I screamed, whoever was on the couch with me had fallen off onto the floor. He was rubbing his head, his bronze hair in perfect disarray after sleeping. Edward, it was Edward. What did we do last night? I couldn't remember anything.

"Bella? What… what happened?" His voice was groggy, but I could hear the velvet underneath. It wasn't helping me think.

I couldn't answer him, I could barely breath. _Deep breaths Bella. In, out, in out. Think __**logically**__. In, out, in, out_. I froze in shock when Emmett came out into the living room.

I didn't know what to do, what to think, what to say. My instinct told me to run, and that's what I did. I grabbed the first thing of mine that I saw, my shoes, and ran from his apartment, right past Emmett who had a very stunned expression on his face. I heard him yell at Edward from the hallway, but I didn't catch what he said. I just ran, out of the building all the way home. I didn't stop when I remembered that I forgot my bag there. I didn't stop until I was safely in my apartment.

Slamming my bedroom door with as much force as I could, I threw myself onto my bed. The door shook, causing the mirror on the back to fall and shatter. I curled up into a ball under my covers with Jake as my pillow, and balled my eyes out. Jake licked the tears off my face.

Rosalie came home sometime after me and found me like that. She crawled onto my bed and just let my cry while she held on to me, never asking any questions.

I felt a million different things at once, anger, pain, confusion, and so many more. Too many more complex emotions for me to form in words. What scared me the most was not knowing what happened, what I had done with Edward. Although I knew it was wrong, somewhere in the back of my mind it had felt right waking up with him.

I sat on my bed with Rose for what felt like hours until I was able to even talk in a passable form of English that was comprehendible.

"Ro-Ro-Rose, I-I-I don't kno-o-w what happened. I ju-u-s-t woke up wi-i-th him. Wa-wa-wa-ht do I do." I wailed into her chest, ruining her shirt the process. "What if I-I-I did something? I'm-m not that kind o-f-f person. What will he th-th-think of me?"

She tried to comfort me, rubbing my hair and whispering to me. "Shh, honey, don't cry. I know you, I'm sure you didn't do anything. Shh. What's done is done, don't let it bother you." She got up and walked out the room, cracking the broken glass that littered the floor. Coming back in, she held a big tub of Ben and Jerry's ice cream with two spoons.

I shoveled as much ice cream as I could into my mouth at one time, willing it to somehow open further. On my own I went through half the carton.

At some point Rosalie declared me stable and we about to get up to leave my room when my door flew open a blur of something black and pixie sized launched itself on my bed.

All in one breath she blurted out "OHMYGOD BELLA! Whatthehellhappenedlastnight? Youjustleftwithsomerandomguydrunkoutofyourmind! Itriedtostopyoubutyouhadalreadygone! Oh, sorry, Bella I was so worried."

That was all it took for the intense throbbing in my head to reach its breaking point and a fresh set of tears to take over. Alice looked over to Rose who mouthed out, "She doesn't remember anything".

"I, I think I just want to be left alone now."

They both looked at me, concern evident on their face, but when Jake growled from where he was under me they left me to wallow alone in my pathetic misery.

I wanted answers. I wanted to know what was wrong with me. Not physically of course, but somewhere in my screwed up heart was the reason for why I was sitting here balling my eyes out over some stupid guy I had just met. Like Rose had said, what's done is done, so why was I still so hung up over it. It would be so easy for someone like Rosalie to just wash it off, to just forget about it. But why cant I? I wanted to know why I had run away when all I really wanted to do was reach out to Edward and crawl back onto that couch with him. At this moment though, the only thing I really wanted to do was dig a hole and burry myself in it.

XxxxX

After waiting out the proper time allocated for self-pity, picked my way over the broken glass. I stated down at it, seeing myself in a million little fragments of it. It seemed to be mocking me, so I picked a piece up and threw it with all the force I could muster at the wall, where it shattered once more. Morbidly, I joined Alice and Rose who were nursing cups of coffee at the island in our kitchen. Their heads were bent together, quietly whispering to each other. The stopped abruptly when they saw me enter.

"Hey there sleepy head, care to finally join us?"

"Sleepy head?"

"Yea," Alice gave me a quizzical look. "Its Tuesday morning. You passed out sometime yesterday and we didn't want to wake you." I scratched the side of my head; I was still out of it.

"Here," Rose said to me, "I picked this up for you." She placed my small bag in front of me, but I didn't make a move to grab it. She started talking again, but slowly, like she was afraid the wrong word could break me. "Bells, are you going to take it?" I blinked mechanically. "You know, if you want to talk we're here always here for you…" With that she got up adding that she was meeting Emmett, and walked out.

Alice sat there sipping her coffee for a few more minutes, like Rose she was unsure of what to say to me. "I have to get to the store. Bella, maybe… maybe you should call him. I mean look at you, you obviously feel something for this guy otherwise you wouldn't be such a mess. I'm sure Rose could get the number for you."

"No, that's ridiculous. I just met him."

"Okay, just think about it." She placed a comforting hand on my shoulder before returning to her smiling self and gracefully bouncing out the door.

I was alone. Again.

"What are you looking at," I yelled at my bag that was taunting me from its position on the table.

"That's it, I'm loosing it." Jake barked almost as if in conformation behind me.

* * *

EPOV

_I was having the most amazing dream. Or at least I was pretty sure I was dreaming. _

_There was this hazy fog over everything, like I was trying to see through a cloud._

_I was almost sure that I was in my apartment, but it was distorted, the background blurry against the one thing I could see that blocked every insignificant thing in the room out._

_I could clearly see an angel. _

_Every move this angel made, every sound that came out of her mouth was defined in sharp detail. She seemed to have his unearthly glow about her. Light radiated off of her, illuminating her magical face._

_Not only was she an angel, right now she was __**my**__ angel. _

_But she was fading. With each moment that passed she lost the light that held her here with me. _

_And yet the more I wanted to reach out and hold onto her I couldn't because she was not my angel. As much as I wanted her she was not mine, and I had no claim over her. _

_She kept on fading until she was but a mere ghost. She let out an ear-splitting scream and was gone, and I was alone. _

That was when I woke up.

XxxxX

To say that I have never heard a more nerve rattling, hysterical scream in my life would be very true at this moment. So true, in fact, that it alone made me jump at least twenty feet in the air from my position on the couch, landing me on the floor with a very pronounced throbbing in my head.

I looked around for its source, only to find a panic stricken Bella in hysterics standing over me. She was on the verge of tears and her breathing was irregular. But even with her hair in a frizzy knot on top of her head, and her dress wrinkly and stained, she was still the most gorgeous creature I have ever seen. I wanted nothing more in that moment then to grab onto her and pull her back onto that couch with me.

I tried to think back to as why she might be like this when I felt another sharp stab in my head. _Right, we were drunk._ I didn't really remember much, just small parts.

From her state I could only guess two things.

One she remembered everything, and we had done something very, _very_ bad.

Or Two, she couldn't remember a thing. I was hoping for option two.

"Bella? What… what happened?"

Her mouth opened and closed a few times like a fish but no sound came out. She completely froze when Emmett came in wearing nothing but his socks and boxers. From the look on his face he was pretty shocked to find Bella there too.

For a split second it was completely quite as nobody made a sound. Bella took that moment to make a run for it, and I could only stare at her retreating back.

When I turned back around to Emmett to explain myself, he was smiling wickedly back at me. I shrunk back away from him; I did not like this look.

"Edward, dude, you _finally _got yourself laid! Way to go!" A low growl escaped my throat. He sat down on the couch next to me. He elbowed me in the ribs and winked, "So, how was she?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know? What was it that bad that you're trying to block it out?" He snickered.

I growled at him again, but he didn't back off. Of course he didn't back off, he finds this amusing. "As in, I don't know. I was too piss-ass drunk to remember anything. I don't even think anything happened."

He was clutching on to his stomach and trying in vain to breath over his laughter "Only you Edward could land a beautiful, drunk girl and not do anything with her."

"Don't you have any where else to be?"

"Nope, Rose is still sleeping." He stopped laughing and yawned stretching his arms over his head, laying them across the back of the couch. With the TV on to last nights Jets game, it was apparently the end of our conversation. Everything was so simple with him.

I let my eyes wander, scanning our apartment. It was filthy; it really needed to be cleaned. Emmett's weights were in one corner, my piano in the other. Magazines and beer bottles were strewn all over the coffee table, but amongst the mess, there was something that didn't belong there. Bella's bag was perched delicately on top of the pile of Emmett's week old candy wrappers.

I gingerly picked it up, looking inside for anything that may have helped me to find her. Of course to return her bag, but secretly for selfish reasons. I really just wanted to see her again. There was nothing inside but a tube of lipstick and some cash, nothing of help.

The fact that she had run out so quickly was unsettling. She hadn't given me any time to talk to her, to attempt to figure out what happened. She just ran, and now I probably won't see her again. I was crushed, but I wouldn't let anyone see me like that. Why worry them? The last thing my parents needed was for Emmett to call them, telling them that I had gone off the deep end again.

It had happened before, and Emmett had seen what it had done to me. I knew I should had listened to him, but I was so wrapped up in the moment, in the experience, that I couldn't see what was so clear right in front of me. That she was no good for me. That she would just end up breaking my heart.

I had blamed myself when Tanya had left. I convinced myself that I would never find anyone else like her, I was alone and it was my entire fault.

But this Bella girl, I just couldn't place it. Although I barely knew her, I was obsessing. If I were any normal guy, like Emmett, I wouldn't care. She would just be another girl that I told my "buddies" about over beers.

I sat, lost in my thoughts.

Emmett was yelling at the TV, something about "…If Jesse Chatman doesn't get his ass moving, I'm going to come down there and show him how to play. Running back, psht, I'll show you running back…!" Some more vulgar comments followed. Rosalie came in too. She sat in an armchair next to Emmett reading a car magazine. They talked for a little while; I didn't register much of what they were saying. Rosalie something about going home to check on Bella, Emmett something about "…distracting the undead over here..." I must have looked dead. Smelled like it too.

Still I couldn't get Bella out of my thoughts.

Much to my distaste, Rosalie took Bella's purse with her. I wanted to keep it here, give her some reason to come back to me. But she was not mine, and at this moment, as much as I wished I did, I had no claim over her.

I wanted Bella. Yes, I wanted her. I didn't care if I had only known her for a few hours, I wanted her, and the more I thought about it, the more it made sense to me. It was a strange feeling, like a pull that defied all forms of gravity. Its like we're all connected, as if by a string. If you pull on one end, the other will feel it. I had no idea if she felt me, but she was definitely pulling on mine. And the farther she went, the more I felt that pull.


End file.
